PLACE OF GEOTURISTIC INTEREST: THE CASE OF AVENIDA JOÃO DA MATA, HISTORIC CENTER OF JOÃO PESSOA, PARAÍBA

Abstract

Geotourism is understood as tourism that values the geographical dimension of the place, therefore, its interest is focused on the abiotic environment of the place, starting from its geological formation to its morphology, combined with cultural and historical aspects, contributing to the appreciation of geodiversity, geoheritage and cultural heritage. This work aims to present the relevance of Avenida João da Mata, located in the Historic Center of João Pessoa and its potential as a place of geotouristic interest. Methodologically, the work presents a path that begins with bibliographical research applied to the topic, followed by fieldwork with the inventory of sampled heritage and, subsequently, the application of the information previously collected in this article, also constituting a qualitative and theoretical research . Regarding the relevance of this article, the social importance is identified, since it proposes collective awareness of the existing heritage, thus promoting its appreciation, without discarding the academic relevance, as it links history to geosciences, denoting its interdisciplinary character. The results achieved demonstrate the great geotouristic value of the site, despite the neglect of cultural heritage by managers, which highlights the need to preserve and revitalize the properties and the balustrade of Avenida João da Mata, which have enormous historical and geographical potential, as belonging to the cultural landscape.